Hopper closure mechanism



, July 18 1939- A.G. CARLSON v 2,166,484

HOPPER CLOSURE MECHANI SM Filed Sept. l5, l1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z5 Z5 Z7 July 18, 1939.' Y 4A. G. CARLSN 2,166,484

HOPPER CLOSURE MECHANI SM Filed sept. 1s, 1957 2 sheets-sheet -2 I wf Lf" resented 'July'. 1s, 1939 ENT"v oFFicE 'norrnn caosunn nmcns'msluv Adolph G. carina, 'clement Application September 13, 1.937, SH12! N0 163,639 2 claims. (c1. `zal-14s) The invention relates to bottom closing means for hoppers and the like and has for an object Vto provide apparatus of simple. construction parallel to the hopper since the screws Ilfpro-i which will operate eiciently as a releasable bottom for hoppers, eifecting a tight and secure closure but-which may -be instantly released to discharge the entire contents thereof. A

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fuliy described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention' and wherein like reference characters .arev used to designate like partsy Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the improvements of4 the invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a modied form of closing means for hoppers and the like.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figure 1,' a conventional hopper is indicated by numeral lll. Saidhopper may form part of a inachine, not shown, such as a weighing machine, it being understood that the hopper is supplied with a. charge of material such as` cement or othersimilar finely divided material and which is to be retained within the' hopper until the bottom closure member is actuated to discharge the contents thereof. vThe hopper, which may be provided with a liningot stainless steel Il, has suitably welded to its exterior adjacent the opening'l2 a plurality of supporting lugs i3. Also extending from the lower end of the hop- I per somedistance below the lugs I3 are a plurallty of screws il which receive successively the washers li and theretaining ring I3.. As a result oi'- the washerstheiretaining ring is spaced from the exterior wallof the hopper I3 although the same is supported with its 'inner surface per. The nuts Il which are threaded tothe pro retaining ring I3.

ject at an an'gle normal to the hopper wall. The structure provides securing means bywhich the rubber ring i1 is retained in its proper location with respect to the open bottom!! o! the hopjecting ends foi' the screws Il ilrmly clamp the rubber ring ll betweenthe hopper wall and the me lugs nsupport tue depending arms n having .threaded upper ends which extend thmugnopeninssinsaidiuubemgrewneam proper -pocitlonvertically by means of tbe 'adclosure 3|.

Y the piston Il.

'ceiving said piston which is'retained thereon by 45 justing nuts 2i. The'lower endsof the depend- Y ing arms 23 converge inwardly and are suitably welded to the housing 22 of .the solenoid indicatedby numeral 23. The solenoid is confined within the housing by means of the end mem- 5 bers 24 and 25, respectively, the member24 having a depending portion 2S extending for a short distance within-the bore formed by the tube21. Adapted to have longitudinal movement within rod 30 secured to its upper end by the pin 29, which rod forms the support for the cone-shaped reduced and threaded for receiving the closure member 3l which is retained thereon by the securing nut 33.

The solenoid 23 is-energized by connecting the wires 34 and -35 to a suitable source of current. As long as the solenoid remains energized the The upper end 32 of the. rod 30 the tube 21 is an armature or core 28 having 'the 10 armature 28 will be attracted `thereby-and the20 closure member 3i' will be held in position against therubber ring I1, closing the bottom opening of the hopper. 'Ihe position of the armature -within the solenoid when the closure 'member initially contacts the Arubber ring is `such as to 25 maintain a pressure against said rubber ring as long as the solenoid remains energized, thus maintaining a tight and secure closure for the hopper, which, however, can be instantly re- .the entire contents of the hopper.

In the modication shown in Figure 2 the h opper closure member is actuated in a downward direction for discharging purposes by a'n air cylleased by deenergizlng the Isolenoid to discharge 30A inner, being yieldingiy heid in its upper posias tion against the rubber ring I-'I by a coil spring. 'I'he depending supporting arms 20 converge in wardly as described with respect to Figure 1 and vare secured as'by welding to the tubular 'housing 35 having end members 36 and 31, re- 40 spectively. Member 31 is provided with the centrai opening 33 for the passage of the rod Il.

to which is secured at the upper end thereof Rod Il is reduced at 42 for re- ,locating the piston in the'upper part of the cyl- 50 .1' /lnder 3i. Cylinder 35 connects with the air supply pipe Iiwhich' enters the cylinder at the extreme upper .end thereof as at 45', which is above the uppermost position of the piston and,

asaresultadmissionofairtothecylinder will l `cylinder 35 securing nuts 48. serve to hold the assembly together.

Members 50 suitably secured to the exterior wall of the cylinder 35 form guides for guiding the rods 46 in their vertical movement.

The frame consisting of the vertical rods 46 connected at their ends by cross pieces 41 has movement conforming to that of the piston 4| since the piston rod 40 is suitably connected centrally of the lower cross piece 41. 'I'he lower end -of said connecting rod is reduced in diameter which reduced end is threaded for receiving said lower cross piece and which is` retained on said rod by the nut `In the operation of the device the frame and hopper closure member is yieldingly forced in an upward direction by the action of the coil spring 44.

ring I1, maintaining a tight 'and secure closure for the hopper. When it is desired to discharge the contents of the hopper air is admitted to the bythe air supply line 45. The air which is under pressure lls the space above piston 4|, forcing the same downwardly against the tension of spring 44, thereby opening the hopper bottom to cause discharge of the entire contents thereof. This opening action of the hopper closure member 3l is facilitated by the weight of the contents within the hopper which rests on the said cone-shaped member. y To return the member 3| to closing position it is only necessary to exhaust the air from the`- cylinder 35 through pipe 45. The coil spring 44' will then be effective to force the piston, the connecting frame and the member 3| into their uppermost positions, whereupon the member 3| will be held against the rub- This serves to hold the' closure member in firm contact with the rubber ber ring n, closing the bottomopemng of the hopper.v y

The'invention is not to be limited to or by dement thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other forms' of 'the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1.1 In a hopper, in combination, a member for closing the open bottom of said hopper, actuating means for said member to produce opening and closing movement thereof, comprising a cylinder located below the hopper, depending arms supporting said cylinder from the hopper, a piston within said cylinder having connection with the bottom closing member whereby movement of the piston is imparted to said member, resilient means within said cylinder forcing said piston in a direction up' ardly to retain the bottom member in its/hopper closing position, and an air supply for said cylinder forcing said piston in a direction downwardly vto cause opening of the hopper,

2. In a hopper, in combination, a -member for closing the open bottom of said hopper, actuating means for said member to produce opening and closing movement thereof, comprising an air cylinder supported below said hopper centrally of the bottom opening'thereof, a piston within said cylinder adapted to be forced in a direction 'downwardly upon the admission of air to said cylinder, `resilient means for yieldingly biasing said piston in a direction upwardly, means connectlng said piston with the bottom closing member comprising a rectangular frame, and members fixed to said air cylinder for guiding said frame in its vertical movement., ADOLPH G. CARLSON.

tails of construction of the particular embodi- 

